Presidential addresses and state papers, Volume 4 (of 7)Roosevelt, Theodore
History
Presidential addresses and state papers, Volume 4 (of 7)
Roosevelt, Theodore
Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919; United States -- Politics and government -- 1901-1909
The questions arising in connection with Chinese immigration stand by
themselves. The conditions in China are such that the entire Chinese
coolie class, that is, the class of Chinese laborers, skilled and
unskilled, legitimately come under the head of undesirable immigrants
to this country, because of their numbers, the low wages for which
they work, and their low standard of living. Not only is it to the
interest of this country to keep them out, but the Chinese authorities
do not desire that they should be admitted. At present their entrance
is prohibited by laws amply adequate to accomplish this purpose.
These laws have been, are being, and will be thoroughly enforced. The
violations of them are so few in number as to be infinitesimal and can
be entirely disregarded. There is no serious proposal to alter the
immigration law as regards the Chinese laborer, skilled or unskilled,
and there is no excuse for any man feeling or affecting to feel the
slightest alarm on the subject.
But in the effort to carry out the policy of excluding Chinese
laborers, Chinese coolies, grave injustice and wrong have been done
by this Nation to the people of China, and therefore ultimately to
this Nation itself. Chinese students, business and professional men
of all kinds—not only merchants, but bankers, doctors, manufacturers,
professors, travelers, and the like—should be encouraged to come here
and treated on precisely the same footing that we treat students,
business men, travelers, and the like of other nations. Our laws
and treaties should be framed, not so as to put these people in the
excepted classes, but to state that we will admit all Chinese, except
Chinese of the coolie class, Chinese skilled or unskilled laborers.
There would not be the least danger that any such provision would
result in any relaxation of the law about laborers. These will, under
all conditions, be kept out absolutely. But it will be more easy to see
that both justice and courtesy are shown, as they ought to be shown,
to other Chinese, if the law or treaty is framed as above suggested.
Examinations should be completed at the port of departure from China.
For this purpose there should be provided a more adequate consular
service in China than we now have. The appropriations, both for the
officers of the consuls and for the office forces in the consulates,
should be increased.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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